Take Me Back
Colten Jesse Lyrics
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To see if I still feel
Smoke cigarettes like I can't be killed
Take me to another time when they preferred whiskey over wine
See how long it'd take me to get my fill
When I'd Head out on the trail and load my tobacco pipe with smoke
Or buy myself a sack and a box of roll your owns
This modern life I wouldn't miss
Take me back 100 years or so
I spend all day and night
Just picking on these strings
Wear my fingers down
Just to see if I still bleed
Stare and watch I take the earth in
Amidst its violent unruly spin
Beggin' God for different time and scenery
Where I'd make my livin'
In my saddle and with my rope
For a days wage and a pack of roll your owns
A simpler time n' free will to live
This modern life I wouldn't miss
Take me back 100 years or so
I stay up all night and get no sleep
Reading these words in red
So when I pass to the other side My soul is well and fed
Live as I'm from another time
Where there were more of my kind
Spend my days living and dodging death
And I'd blaze my own trail and freely I would roam
Makin heavy miles on a waspy cold backed colt
Oh Lord take me back a few lives
Do my best to live by your light
Take me back 100 years or so
Take me back 100 years
Oh, take me back
In Colten Jesse's song "Take Me Back," the lyrics express his longing for a simpler time, free from the complexities of modern life, which he finds overwhelming. The opening lyrics, "I drink whiskey like it's water // To see if I still feel," suggest that he drinks excessively to numb the pain of his reality, and he's curious to see how far he can push himself. The next line, "Smoke cigarettes like I can't be killed," presents a reckless attitude towards life, indicating that he's lost a sense of consequence in the present day.
The second verse continues with an escape from reality as Jesse describes smoking tobacco and roll-your-own cigarettes, a nod to a period of time where life seemed less complicated. The lyrics "Take me back 100 years or so" reflect the sentiment of the entire song, with Jesse yearning for a time where life was less complex and more reliant on one's self-sufficiency. He describes a time where men rode horses through the countryside, living and working from the land, and where free will, simplicity, and a simpler lifestyle were cherished.
The final verse provides a powerful image of Jesse staying up all night reading "words in red," hinting that he is reading the Bible, and looking for salvation and a way out of his current struggle. He wishes to live in another time, where people were of more like minds, and it was easier to find a sense of purpose as the song reaches its final lines; "Oh Lord take me back a few lives // Do my best to live by your light // Take me back 100 years or so."
Line by Line Meaning
I drink whiskey like it's water
I drink a lot of whiskey because it seems like the only way to feel something in this lonely world.
To see if I still feel
Drinking helps me feel something because I'm so numb to the world around me.
Smoke cigarettes like I can't be killed
I smoke cigarettes as if I'm invincible and nothing can harm me because I feel like I have nothing left to lose.
Take me to another time when they preferred whiskey over wine
I long for a time when whiskey was the preferred drink because it represents a simpler, more rugged way of life that I am drawn to.
See how long it'd take me to get my fill
I want to see how much whiskey I can handle before I reach my limit and pass out.
When I'd Head out on the trail and load my tobacco pipe with smoke
Back in the day, I would journey down the road and smoke my tobacco pipe to pass the time.
Or buy myself a sack and a box of roll your owns
I used to buy tobacco and roll my own cigarettes because it was cheaper and gave me a sense of freedom.
A simpler time n' free will to live
I miss the days when life was simpler and I had the freedom to make my own choices without the constraints of modern society.
This modern life I wouldn't miss
I don't enjoy the stresses of modern life and long for a simpler existence.
I spend all day and night
I dedicate my time to playing music because it's the only thing that makes me feel alive and connected to the world.
Just picking on these strings
I play my guitar strings until my fingers hurt because it's a form of catharsis and a way of expressing my emotions.
Wear my fingers down
I play my guitar so often that my fingers are beginning to suffer as a result.
Just to see if I still bleed
Playing music helps me feel as if I'm still alive because the physical discomfort from playing the guitar reminds me that I am still capable of feeling something.
Stare and watch I take the earth in
I spend time observing the world around me and taking it all in because it's one of the few things that brings me joy.
Amidst its violent unruly spin
The chaos of the world doesn't deter me from observing and appreciating its beauty.
Beggin' God for different time and scenery
Sometimes I pray for a different life and a different world because the one I'm living in feels so empty and isolated.
Where I'd make my livin'
I used to make a living through a more rugged lifestyle of working with horses and living off the land.
In my saddle and with my rope
I would ride horses and use a lasso to control them, which required a more physically demanding lifestyle than the one I live now.
For a days wage and a pack of roll your owns
I used to work hard for a day's pay and enjoy a pack of cigarettes at the end of it because I had more freedom and autonomy over my life.
I stay up all night and get no sleep
I am consumed by reading and studying spiritual texts that help me make sense of this world and give me hope for the next.
Reading these words in red
I am captivated by the words of Christ as they are written in red letters in some versions of the Bible.
So when I pass to the other side My soul is well and fed
I hope that by consuming these spiritual texts, I will be better prepared for the afterlife and whatever may come.
Live as I'm from another time
I see myself as a person from a different era who doesn't quite fit into this modern world.
Where there were more of my kind
I wish there were more people who shared my values and understood my way of life, which seems out of place in this modern society.
Spend my days living and dodging death
I miss the excitement and danger of my former lifestyle, which kept me on my toes and reminded me that I was alive.
And I'd blaze my own trail and freely I would roam
I used to wander the countryside and blaze new paths, which felt liberating and thrilling.
Makin heavy miles on a waspy cold backed colt
I rode horses across long distances, even when the horse wasn't necessarily made for that type of work, which was a testament to my strength and determination.
Oh Lord take me back a few lives
I pray to God to take me back to a time when life was simpler and more rugged.
Do my best to live by your light
I hope that wherever I am, I can live my life with integrity and devotion to God.
Take me back 100 years or so
I yearn for a time when life was simpler and more in line with my values and way of life.
Take me back 100 years
I long for a past that I never actually experienced because it appeals to my sensibilities and way of thinking.
Oh, take me back
I am desperate for a change and a return to a simpler way of life that feels more authentic to me.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Colten Jesse
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind